Regrowing celery from scraps is a simple and fun way to enjoy fresh celery at home without needing a garden. You can easily do this using just a few supplies and a bit of patience. Here’s a step-by-step guide to regrow celery from kitchen scraps in water and then transplant it to soil:
Materials Needed:
- Fresh Celery: Purchase a bunch of celery with healthy, crisp stalks.
- Containers: Any container with drainage holes (for both water and soil stages). You can use glass jars, plastic containers, or even recycled vessels.
- Water: Clean, room temperature water for the initial regrowth phase.
- Potting Mix: Well-draining potting mix for when you move the celery to soil.
- Sunlight: A spot with plenty of sunlight (6+ hours of direct sunlight a day).
Step 1: Harvesting and Preparing Celery Scraps
- Cut the Celery: Trim the celery stalks, leaving about 2 inches from the base. This base will sprout new growth.
- Remove Outer Layers: Peel away any tough or damaged outer layers, so the fresh cut end is exposed.
Step 2: Water Regrowth
- Place in Water: Submerge the celery base (the cut end) in a container with enough water to cover the base but not fully submerge the celery. You’ll want to see the roots start to grow from the bottom.
- Change Water Regularly: Change the water every few days to keep it fresh and to prevent any rot.
- Wait for Growth: Within a week or two, you’ll see small green leaves begin to emerge from the center of the celery base. This indicates new growth is starting!
Step 3: Transplanting to Soil
- Prepare Container: Once the celery begins to sprout new leaves and roots, fill a container with well-draining potting mix.
- Plant the Celery: Gently transfer the celery base from the water to the potting mix, burying it deep enough to cover the roots and the bottom part of the celery base.
- Water and Sunlight: Water the plant thoroughly and place it in a sunny spot where it can receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day.
- Maintain Moisture: Keep the soil consistently moist but not soaked. Celery prefers slightly damp soil.
Step 4: Care and Harvest
- Fertilize (Optional): If you want, you can use a balanced liquid fertilizer to encourage growth. Follow the instructions on the fertilizer packaging for best results.
- Monitor Growth: Your celery plant will start growing from the center, producing new stalks. Over time, the outer stalks will get thicker and longer.
- Continuous Harvesting: Once the outer stalks are big enough, you can harvest them by cutting them off at the base. Celery is a cut-and-come-again plant, so the inner stalks will continue to grow, allowing you to keep harvesting from the same plant!
Additional Tips:
- Watering: Celery is sensitive to dry conditions, so make sure it stays moist, especially during the warmer months.
- Soil: Celery does best in fertile, nutrient-rich soil, so adding compost or organic matter to the mix will benefit the plant.
- Location: Place the container in a sunny spot, ideally near a window or balcony where it can get plenty of light.
Conclusion:
By following these easy steps, you can regrow celery at home with little space and no garden. It’s a sustainable way to have fresh celery for cooking or snacking while reducing food waste. Happy regrowing!